Thursday, July 7, 2011

I've been looking for a tasty way to show off this ultra-fast and easy barbecue sauce vinaigrette idea, and this almost raw succotash salad proved to be a perfect vehicle. And to think, I almost ruined it by doing it the right way.

Originally, I was going to grill the corn first, and then slice the cooked kernels into the salad. As I started to prep, I took a little nibble off the end of the ear, and it was so sweet and juicy that I decided to change the plan, and go au natural.

Thanks to the sweet, starchy crunch of the raw corn, the combination of tastes and textures in this salad is outstanding. Sure, you could certainly add more than the four ingredients called for here, but I'm wondering if that would really make this any more perfect.

This succotash salad is great for those occasions when you need to bring a side dish to the company picnic, or family reunion, and want to arrive with something that looks like you put in a lot more effort into it than you actually did.

As you'll see in the clip, the dressing could not be simpler, but will rely on a quality barbecue sauce to bring everything together. I used my wife Michele's famous SFQ sauce, but your favorite barbecue sauce should work out as well (assuming it's deeply-flavored, complex, and kind of spicy).

Anyway, this may not be the most exciting, or visually thrilling thing we've made around here, but what it lacks in aesthetic charm, it more than makes up for in everything else. I hope you give it a try soon. Enjoy!

I found your blog about a month ago, and it was the greatest thing to happen to me, culinarily speaking, in years. And dutifully, I've been spreading the word. Not much for posting comments, but just wanted to say thanks!

Made this on Tuesday (using SFQ sauce -- man, oh man, is that stuff GOOD!); served it on Wednesday; verdict from picky-eater husband: "This is a hit!" The two of us consumed the entire batch in one sitting. Thank goodness beans are good for your heart... ;)

Thanks for all the great recipes, Chef John. And thanks to Michele for proucing such a dynamite BBQ sauce!